


Left Behind

by Ero_the_Great_I



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 13:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5049595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ero_the_Great_I/pseuds/Ero_the_Great_I
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little something to work off some ending feels and obviously not part of my other series of one-shots. It also a bit unpolished. I'm sorry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Left Behind

**Left Behind**

 

It was a beautiful day, Kate noted while looking at the sky. Her gaze went to the Madsens standing a bit father a way. David having put his arm around his crying wife, his own face an expression of sadness but remaining much more composed.

Her eyes went around to all the other people. Warren, Dana and her new boyfriend Trevor and his friend...Justin, was it?

Even Victoria was here and if someone had told her that a week ago she would have been really skeptical. This whole week had been crazy and she was still trying to come to terms with what happened to her. Never in her life would she have suspected that Mr. Jefferson had been the one that had her drugged and kidnapped by Nathan... Kate shook her head.She was just glad that it was over now. Sadly it had taken the death of a person for it to happen.

_Poor Max..._ , she thought and her eyes found Max standing by grave. What a cruel turn of events that the person Nathan had shot turned out to be Max's childhood friend. She had been in shock the entire rest of the Monday. It was only on the next day that they had gotten to talk. Max had been sad, but composed, and she told her about the incident. This in turn made Kate tell her everything that had happened to her. Max had taken her to the police on the same day.

The rest of the week Max had been either in her dorm or with the Madsens. In the evening Max and Kate would sit down to talk. She had learned a bit about Chloe that way. She had known her from back when she was hanging out with Rachel, but never really talked to her. But from what Max told her it seemed that she was a good person.

It seemed only right to be here and pay her respects. And to support Max. The Lord knew that she could use the support. Because as much as she seemed to have composed herself, Kate could see the cracks now.

_Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted_ , she thought as her gaze turned back to Chloe's parents. She prayed that they would find peace. Little by little the others started to leave, paying their final respects and giving the Madsens comforting words as they did so. Warren remained the longest, but he too left after a while and soon after Chloe's parents followed suit, her mother being too exhausted to stay here any longer, until it was eventually only Max and herself.

With slow steps Kate walked over to Max and gently brushed a hand across her arm in a comforting manner. “Hey...”

Max didn't react at first, but eventually turned her head towards Kate, a small smile on her face. “Hey.”

She tried to hide them well, but the cracks were definitely there. “Everyone has already left.”

“Oh.” Max looked around. “I-I didn't even notice.”

“That's OK. Want to stay a little longer?”

Max looked down at the ground, then to the grave. Shaking her head she said: “No. I think it's time to go back.”

Kate nodded and turned to grave. She folded her hands and offered a for the departed. After she was finished they left.

 

* * *

 

They quietly returned to their dorm. Neither of them having said a word and it was only when they parted that Kate spoke up.

“Want to grab a cup of tea?” she asked.

“I-” Max started but stopped herself and released a sigh, nodding. “Yeah.”

They entered Kate's room and Max sat down on the couch while Kate made the tea. She occasionally looked over her shoulder to see Max simply staring at the ground.

Once the tea was done Kate sat down next to Max and handed her a cup. Kate could already see that Max wanted to say something but was still trying to figure out what exactly it was. So Kate simply waited until she was good and ready.

“You know, back when we were younger Chloe and I always pretended that we were pirates. Capt. Chloe and her loyal first mate Max. 'Aye aye'.” Max gave her a small, forced grin with a silly salute to top it off. “Back then we thought we'd be taking over Arcadia Bay in a storm. Like nothing could stop us.”

Max chuckled and took a sip of her tea. “We also had a tree-house that we used as our own little fort. Our hidden fortress.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun,” Kate said.

“It was. We had a blast. Until-” Max expression grew serious. “Until her father died and I left her here, alone.”

“Max-”

“I left her.” she said. “I left her when she needed me most. And I-” Max pressed her eyes closed like she was in pain. “And now she's dead. Because of me!”

Because of her? That didn't make any sense. There wasn't anything she could do.

“And the worst part is that-that I-” she shook her head. Kate put her cup away and pulled Max into a hug. “There's so much that I regret not telling her. And now it's too late.”

Max blinked and a few tears ran down her face. It pained Kate to see her like this. But the only thing she could do for her was to be there for her.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” she said, causing Max to smile a little.

“Matthew 11:28,” Max said.

“I didn't know you read the bible,” Kate said in surprise.

“I don't... it's just that-” Max shook her head again. “I heard it before. Thanks, Kate. For being there.”

“Hey, what are friends for?”

“Drinking tea, I'd say.” Max said more lightheartedly and lifted the cup she was still holding to her lips.

Kate chuckled. “Yeah. Don't forget, you can always talk to me, OK?”

“I won't.”

They grew silent once again and Kate let go of her friend. She watched Max take one final sip before she placed the cup on her desk. “I think I'm going to lie down a bit. It was a hard day.”

“Yes, of course. Try to get some sleep,” Kate said and gathered Max in another hug. “We'll talk tomorrow.”

“Mmh.” Max nodded and Kate watched her leave. Alone now Kate went to finish up her own cup of tea, then went to her bed and knelt down in front of it. It would take a while until both of their scars would heal. Kate still felt a shiver run down her spine whenever she thought about Mr. Jefferson and the time she had spend assisting him after class. Yes it would take time, but she was sure both of them would be OK.

She folded her hands together and began praying.

A last prayer for the soul of Chloe Price.

 

* * *

 

Once inside her room Max leaned her back against her door and let herself slide down until she was sitting on the ground. She held up her right hand, her eyes staring directly at it for a few minutes.

With a sigh she let it fall to the floor and looked across the room. Same old dorm room.

She felt empty inside. Her mind replaying the moment Chloe died over and over again. But what else could she have done?

_Taking the picture and ripping it apart the moment Chloe gave it to you,_ a tiny voice inside her mind said. _She wouldn't be dead and buried right now._

She shook her head to banish the voice. Back on the cemetery she had felt hopeful, a small smile forming on her lips as she saw the blue butterfly, as if a part of the Chloe that she had left behind was still here. But soon after the casket had been lowered into the ground that feeling dissipated as the gunshot echoed inside her mind.

Max wished there had been another solution. But the only other option she had was to let the storm destroy Arcadia Bay and possibly everyone in it. She just couldn't take that chance.

Maybe...Maybe if she had realized it sooner there might have something else she could have done. But it was far too late for that now. For everything.

“ _Don't you forget about me.”_

Never.

She closed her eyes and saw Chloe standing right in front of her on that cliff. Her eyes filled with tears, but not a single ounce of fear as she told her that it was the only way.

“ _Wherever I end up after this... In whatever reality... all those moments between us were real, and they'll always ours.”_

Her lips tingled as she remembered the kiss they shared. Their first and last kiss. Nothing in her life had ever felt as right as that feeling.

Tears escaped the corner of her eyes.

No. Max would never forget her. Nor would she ever forget the feelings that they had shared, even if it was only a short amount of time.

She opened her eyes once more and said the words that she should have said on at the lighthouse.

“Chloe...I love you.” her lips formed into a smile. Not a half-assed one like she had given everyone all day, but a full one. Saying those words she felt herself relax a little. She loved her. And she hoped that Chloe, wherever she was right now, would hear her words and respond in kind.

Losing her still hurt. A lot. And it would for a long time.

But she would go on and live her life. For Chloe and for herself.

That's what Chloe, _her_ Chloe, wanted.

Her eyes went to the window where she spotted a Bluejay sitting, looking at her curiously, then watched as it flew away. Max got to her feet and hurried to the window. The small bird was gone.

Max stepped away from the window and, smile widening, went over to the photo album that Joyce had given her and started her journey down the memory lane.

A small laugh escaped her as she found a very particular photo of when they were younger.

Yes, life would go on.

And one day, she believed, Chloe and her would be reunited again.

 


End file.
